Bad Air Day

Distant moon

Becca and I got a pretty early start on our trek this morning, and right off we were appalled by the poor air quality.  I don't know why the air was so bad, but it resembled the kind of pollution we typically get with a temperature inversion.  Perhaps the wind blew more strongly than I was aware of last night.  Another bad experience had to do with the young man hiking up the mountain road with his two daughters blaring music at an incredible decibel level.  Somebody must have called the cops on him because shortly after they ascended I saw an NMSU police SUV heading up the road.  If you have to bring the sounds of the city out into nature to share with everybody else you're badly in need of an attitude adjustment.  Of course Becca and I didn't let the noisy trekkers ruin our excursion, and we enjoyed the many sights and sounds of nature during our hike.  We had the added bonus of running into our good buddy Jimmy on the way back in, and we stood talking to him for nearly thirty minutes.

Ocotillo flower getting ready to explode

This Ocotillo flower still has a ways to go

Who's that on the yucca flowers?

Looking familiar

Why it's a Scott's Oriole

Sure does love these tasty blossoms

Getting into it

Going up and over

A little upside down move

How do you like me now?

Getting out of here

Big old Torrey Yucca

On the way down the west side of the mountain

Becca checking out some hikers on the mountain road

Looks like they're putting a new trail through here

Claret Cup Cactus flowers

This is how bad the air is today

More Claret Cup flowers

Torrey Yucca flowers

Torrey Yucca

A little bit closer to those yucca flowers

Blossoms of the Torrey Yucca